Slidable ash tray



April 8, 1958 R. GILL 2,829,766

SLIDABLE ASH TRAY Fijied Oct. 24, 1955 Z-Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

\ fioberil. Gil] H i'y.

R. L; GILL SLIDABLE. ASH TRAY April s, 1958 Filed Oct. 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.- giober'fl. Gill United States Patent SLIDABLE ASH TRAY Robert L. Gill, Vancouver, Wash. Application October 24, 1955, Serial No. 542,301

Claims. 01. 206-19.5)

driving problem is imposed when the driver wishes to i put something in the ash tray and must, at least momentarily, take his eyes from the road.

One of theprincipal objects of. my invention is to provide a handy ash tray which has a longitudinally disposed trough formed depending-from its upper surface, which trough conforms generally to a cigarette and the sides thereof are sloped downwardly so that any cigarette butt or ashes thereof will automatically fall within said trough. The ash tray is joined to a receiver maintained under subatmospheric pressure, and a manipulatable valve is provided so that a cigarette or other, debris lodged within said trough may quickly be evacuated by the inrush of air over and longitudinally through the trough to cause the material to be deposited in said receiver.

A further object of my invention is to improve the general organization defined in United States Patent No. 2,616,557, issued November 4, 1952, to myself and to Frank A. Nash, said patent being entitled Vacuum-Actuated Ash Tray for Vehicles.

A furtherand more specific object of my invention is to improve said organization by making it relatively simple, compact and inexpensive, with the parts operatively joined to induce ready response.

A further object of my invention is to provide an ash tray of this character with a relatively large area upon which ashes or cigarette butts may be lodged without particular care, which cigarette butts or ashes will fall under the action of gravity to a centrally located trough and be evacuated therefrom when a valve is manually pressed, which permits the flow of air from the atmosphere to an evacuated receiver and to clean said entire surface. Further and detailed improvements of my invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is. a more or less schematic view of an ashtray embodying my invention joined by a conduit with an evacuated receiver, said parts being illustrated as being supported by a fixed structure such, for example, as the instrument panel of an automobile;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said ash receiver, with a portion of the upper surface shown broken away to disclose the details of construction which would otherwise be hidden, and with the movement of the parts indicated in dashed outline and by arrows;

Fig. 3 is an end view of said ash tray, showing in dotted outlines the position and arrangement of a cutofi valvewhich may be operated to evacuate the ashes, cigarettes and debris which are placed in said ash tray;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of said ash tray, with a portion of the base and tray shown broken away to disclose details thereof;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modification of my invention, with portions shown broken away todisclose details of construction and operation, said parts being located as when they are manipulated to evacuate debris;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, with the parts shown at rest, that is before said mechanisms are actuated;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of said modification, with parts shown broken away to disclose details of construction; and

Fig. 8 is an end view of said modification, with por tions shown broken away'to disclose the operating mechanism and the construction and degree of movement of the valve which controls the evacuation of said ash tray, and the lever for moving said valve.

As is disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings, my invention is adapted for an organization comprising means which is here illustrated as a conduit 1, in which subatmospheric pressures are maintained. A branch line 2 leads to a receiver 3 Which defines a reservoir in which debris is to be collected. Said receiver is joined to the fire wall 4 of an automobile. The mounting may be made by a bracket 5 bolted to said fire wall and having an articulated joint 6 so that the receiver may be aligned with the plane of said fire wall. A discharge line 7 joins thereceiver to an ash tray 8 embodying my invention. Said discharge line is also maintained at subatmospheric pressures and has suiiicient capacity to pass debris, such as ashes and cigarette butts, from the ash tray into said receiver.

Said ash tray 8 is secured to the face ofinstruinent panel 9 of an automobile by means of a bracket 10. Said bracket may be adjustable so as to have more or less universal application and to adapt itself to the peculiarities of the various types of automobiles. ably lies at the passenger side of the instrument panel in a location convenient to the driver of a car and to the passenger or passengers of the front seat who sit to the drivers right. The specific arrangement of said ash tray and the location thereof upon the instrument panel is not to be limited to the mounting of an ash tray em bodying my invention to this one particular application. Said ash tray may be mounted at any place which is convenient to the passengers of an automobile, such, for example, as upon the back of the front seat, so that passengers in the tonneau may have an ash tray embodying my invention conveniently arranged for their use.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the ash tray comprises an ash receiving member 11 which extends completely acrossthe top of the ash tray. Said member has a centrally disposed, longitudinallyextending trough 12 formed therein and two obliquely sloping upper surfaces 13 extending from adjacent the margins of the trough to the lateral edges of said ash tray. A base member 14 interfits with said ash receiving member and maintains a seal therewith. To this end, the ash receiving member is provided with a dependent flange 11a, and the base member is providedwith an upstanding flange 14a and, together, they form a guideway for a laterally reciprocal slide valve 15. Said slide valve is relatively thin and is provided with an aperture 15:! therein closer to one end than to the other. The bore of the discharge line 7 is of the same general outline as, and is aligned with, the trough 12, as is illustrated in Fig. 3. The slide valve, when arranged in sealing position, has the aperture 15a ofiset therefrom so that the imperforate portion of the slide valve 15 overlies the bore of said discharge line and pre- V vents air flow therethrough.

The ashtray prefer-' Lying within the box-like base member 14 is an articulated manipulating lever comprising two sections. One section 16 has a rounded base 16a pierced by a pivot pin 16b secured to said base member. Said section may rotate back and forth through a substantial angle, as is indicated schematically in Fig. 2 by dotted outline and arrows. Said section is illustrated as being in the position where the slide valve closes the bore of the discharge line, as is illustrated in Fig. 3. The other section 17 of the manipulatable lever is pivotally joined at its middle by a pin 17a secured to the base member and constitutes a pivotal mounting for said other section 17. At the left hand end, as viewed in Fig. 2, said section is provided with a crank arm 17b which lies within and engages a slot 16c in the first mentioned section and defines therewith a lost motion device. At the end of said other section most distant from said crank arm is a downturned and twisted actuating end 17c extending through an arcuate slot 18 in the floor of the base member 14. Said actuating end extends externally of said base member and projects laterally therefrom.

Said manipulating lever comprising the two sections 16 and 17 is spring-biased to closed position by a tension spring 19. One end of said spring is anchored to a pin 21 fixed to base member 14, and the other end of said spring is joined to the other section 17. Said spring lies substantially tangential to the axis of rotation of the section 17 so as to exercise the greatest torque in rotating said section 17 counterclockwise as viewedin Fig. 2.

The slide valve is provided with an offset ear 15b which encircles a crank 22 at the free end of section 16.

Said device operates as follows:

With the parts joined to the receiver, which is maintained at subatmospheric pressure through the discharge line 7, the parts are normally arranged as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A cigarette butt, for example, may be laid in the trough 12 and the actuating end 17a which projects exteriorly from the ash tray may be depressed. This rocks the section 17 about its axis and overcomes the bias of the tension spring 19. The rotation of said section 17 is clockwise, and this produces counterclockwise rotation of the section 16 about its pivot pin 16b. This causes said section 16 to rotate through an angle illustrated by arrows and dashed outline in Fig. 2, thereby to pull the slide valve toward the left and to bring the aperture 15a thereof into alignment with the bore of the discharge line 7. The inrush of air at atmospheric pressure intothe bore of the discharge line clears the cigarette butt and ash from the ash tray and discharges'it through the bore of the discharge line 7 into the receiver 3. The receiver is maintained at such subatmospheric pressure, and the capacities thereof and of the discharge line are sufiicient so that a cigarette butt, ashes or other debris do not have to lie immediately adjacent the slide valve 15 to be thus drawn into and through the discharge line 7. This occurs almost faster than the eye can discern. When digital pressure on the actuating end 17a is relaxed, the tension spring returns the parts to their original position and cuts off the flow of air through the discharge line and seals the end thereof. There may be some inequalities in the slide valve, or there may be injury thereto in operation, and it is for this reason that the ,ear 15b of the slide valve is made elongated and thus free to move laterally with relation to the crank 22 on the section 16. That is to say, the slide valve is free to move slightly and thus to seal the inlet end of the discharge line, even though there might be some bending or other dislocation which might provide a leak if the section 16 were joined tightly to the slide valve.

I provide a lost motion device between the two sections 16 and 17 so that the slide valve moves quickly and with a snap as the bias of the tension spring 19 is overcome by pressure exerted on the actuating end 17a of the manipulatable lever. Said 'lost motion device also permits the slide valve to move snappily into closing position when digital pressure is relaxed.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, the mountings are substantially the same and thus will be given the same reference characters.

Said modified ash tray comprises an ash receiving member 23 with a trough 24 and obliquely sloping surfaces 25, as in the first embodiment. Said member is in sealing relationship with an open top base member 26, and is provided with a slide valve 27 having an aperture 27a therein. A lateral flange 26a provides a limited contact surface for the slide valve 27, as is illustrated in Fig. 7 at the left of the slide valve shown there. Said slide valve is provided with a slotted ear 28 and a bellcrank operating lever 29 having an offset end 29a is joined thereto.

The loop defined by the slotted ear 28 of the slide valve 27 is substantially deeper than the cross section of the end 29a, and this prevents the parts from being tightly secured together and permits the slide valve to float freely over the mouth of the discharge line 7. The bell-crank is mounted upon a pivot pin 31 and is biased to closed position by a coiled helical spring 30 which encircles said pin. The spring is twisted so that it tends to rotate the bell-crank lever counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 6. Said lever may be rotated clockwise to open the valve when the end 29a is depressed and the parts are moved clockwise as shown by the arrows in Fig. 6, a distance indicated as x-x in Fig. 8.

One of the principal difficulties present in the use of ash trays, particularly at night, is to locate them without the driver taking his eyes from the road. This is accomplished in my invention by providing an electric light 32 within the base member 26. The base thus sheaths and shields it against blinding the operator. The light is energized through a cord 32a which joins the electrical system of the automobile. A relatively narrow slot 33 is formed in the obliquely sloping surface of the ash receiving member and permits a beam of light to flow therethrough, as is indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, to illuminate substantially the entire length of the trough 24. I preferably finish the ash tray, and particularly the ash receiving member thereof, in buffed aluminum, which provides a reflective surface. Suflicient light is admitted through said slot 33 to provide a diffused illumination of low intensity across theentire upper surface of the ash receiving member due to the angularity of the obliquely sloping side surfaces thereof and their relative arrangement with the trough 34. A higher degree of illumination is provided in the trough, and this tends to guide the drivers eye if he wishes to put his cigarette in said trough to extinguish it and to discharge it into the receiver 3.

I claim:

1. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member having a longitudinally arranged open trough open to the atmosphere, a base member in sealing relation with said ash receiving member, a discharge conduit adapted and arranged to be maintained at subatmospheric pressure carried by said base and aligned with the trough in said ash receiving member, a valve operatively arranged intermediate said discharge conduit and said trough, said valve being movable selectively to one of two positions, one of said positions intercepting and sealing the discharge conduit and the other affording a through passageway from said trough to said conduit, a yieldable bias member for urging said valve to the first mentioned position, and a manipulatable pivoted lever lying Within said base member and having one portion extending exteriorly thereof, said lever operatively engaging said valve through a. lost motion device to move it to the second mentioned position in opposition to said yieldable bias member.

2. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member having a longitudinally arranged open trough open to the atmosphere, a base member in sealing relation with said ash receiving member, a dischargeconduit adapted and arranged to be maintained at subatmospheric pressure carried by said base and aligned with the trough in saidash receiving member, a relatively thin slide valve operatively arranged intermediate said discharge conduit and said trough, said valve being movable selectively to one of two positions, one of said positions intercepting and sealing the discharge conduit and the other affording a through passageway from said trough to said conduit, a yieldable bias member for urging said valve to the first mentioned position, and a manipulatable pivoted lever lying within said base member and having one portion extending exteriorly thereof, said lever operatively engaging said valve through a lost motion device to move it to the second mentioned position in opposition to said yieldable bias member.

3. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member having a longitudinally arranged open trough open to the atmosphere, a base'member in sealing relation with said. ash receiving member, a discharge conduit adapted and arranged to be maintained at subatmospheric pressure carried by said base and aligned with the trough in said ash receiving member, a relatively thin apertured slide valve operatively arranged intermediate said discharge conduit and said trough, said valve being movable selectively to one of two positions, one of said positions intercepting and sealing the discharge conduit and the other afiording a through passageway from said trough to said conduit, a yieldable bias member for urging said valve to the first mentioned position, and a manipulatable pivoted lever lying within said base member and having one portion extending exteriorly thereof, said lever operatively engaging said valve through a lost motion device to move it to the second mentioned position in opposition to said yieldable bias member.

4. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member having a longitudinally arranged open trough open to the atmosphere and associated surfaces sloping obliquely toward said open trough, a base member in sealing relation with said ash receiving member, a discharge conduit adapted and arranged to be maintained at subatmospheric pressure carried by said base and aligned with the trough in said ash receiving member, a valve operatively arranged intermediate said discharge conduit and said trough, said valve being movable selectively to one of two positions, one of said positions intercepting and sealing the discharge conduit and the other affording a through passageway from said trough to said conduit, a yieldable bias member for urging said valve to the first mentioned position, and a manipulatable pivoted lever lying within said base member and having one portion extending exteriorly thereof, said lever operatively engaging said valve through a lost motion device to move it to the second mentioned position in opposition to said yieldable bias member.

5. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member having a longitudinally arranged open trough open to the atmosphere, a base member in sealing relation with said ash receiving member, a discharge conduit adapted and arranged to be maintained at subatmospheric pressure carried by said base and aligned with the trough in said ash receiving member, a valve operatively arranged intermediate said discharge conduit and said trough, said valve being movable selectively to one of two positions, one of said positions intercepting and sealing the discharge conduit and the other affording a through passageway from said trough to said conduit, a yieldable bias member for urging said valve to the first mentioned position, and a manipulatable pivoted lever lying within said base member and having one portion extending exteriorly thereof, said lever operatively engaging said valve to move it to the second mentioned position in opposition to said yieldable bias member, said manipulatable lever being of bell-crank shape, having a pivotal mount intermediate its ends and lying within said base member.

6. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member having a longitudinally arranged open trough open to the atmosphere, a base member in sealing relation with said ash receiving member, a discharge conduit adapted and arranged to be maintained at subatmospheric pressure carried by said base and aligned with the trough in said ash receiving member, a valve operatively arranged intermediate said discharge conduit and said trough, said valve being movable selectively to one of two positions, one of said positions intercepting and sealing the discharge conduit and the other affording a through passageway from said trough to said conduit, a yieldable bias member for urging said valve to the first mentioned position, and a manipulatable pivoted lever lying within said base member and having one portion extending exteriorly thereof, said lever operatively engaging said valve through a lost motion device to move it to the second mentioned position in opposition to said yieldable bias member, said manipulatable lever being of bell-crank shape, having a pivotal mount intermediate its ends and lying within said base member, said bias means being a helical spring encircling the pivot mount for said lever.

, 7. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member having a longitudinally arranged open trough open to the atmosphere, at base member in sealing relation with said ash receiving member, a discharge conduit adapted and arranged to be maintained at atmospheric pressure carried by said base and aligned with the trough in said ash receiving member, a valve operatively arranged intermediate said discharge conduit and said trough, said valve being movable selectively to one of two positions, one of said positions intercepting and sealing the discharge conduit and the other aifording a through passageway from said trough to said conduit, a yieldable bias member for urging said valve to the first mentioned position, and a manipulatable pivoted lever lying within said base member and having one portion extending exteriorly thereof, said lever operatively engaging said valve to move it to the second mentioned position in opposition to said yieldable bias member, said manipulatable lever comprising two articulated sections, each provided with a pivotal mount, one articulated section operatively engaging the slide and the other section having a portion extending laterally through. a wall of said base member and projecting to the exterior thereof.

8. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member having a longitudinally arranged open trough open to the atmosphere, a base member in sealing relation with said ash receiving member, a discharge conduit adapted and arranged to be maintained at atmospheric pressure carried by said base and aligned with the trough in said ash receiving member, a valve operatively arranged in termediate said discharge conduit and said trough, said valve being movable selectively to one of two positions, one of said positions intercepting and sealing the discharge conduit and the other affording a through passageway from said trough to said conduit, a yieldable bias member for urging said valve to the first mentioned posltion, and a manipulatable pivoted lever lying within said base member and having one portion extending exteriorly thereof, said lever operatively engaging said valve to move it to the second mentioned position in opposition to said yieldable bias member, said manipulatable lever comprising two articulated sections, each provided with a pivotal mount, one articulated section operatively engaging the slide and the other section having a portion extending laterally through a wall of said base member and projecting to the exterior thereof, said sections being operatively joined together through a lost motion device.

9. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member having a longitudinally arranged open trough open to the atmosphere, a base member in sealing relation with said ash receiving member, a discharge conduit adapted and arranged to be maintained at subatmospheric pressure carried by said base and aligned with the trough in said ash receiving member, a valve operatively arranged intermediate said discharge conduit and said trough, said valve being movable selectively to one of two positions, one of said positions intercepting and sealing the discharge conduit and the other affording a through passageway from said trough to said conduit, a yieldable bias member for urging said valve to the first mentioned position, a manipulatable pivoted lever lying within said base member and having one portion extending eXteriorly thereof, said lever operatively engaging said valve to move it to the second mentioned position in opposition to said yieldable bias member, and an electric light mounted in said base, said ash receiving member having a slotted aperture formed therein and proportioned and arranged to direct light into said trough.

10. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member having a longitudinally arranged open trough open to the atmosphere and associated surfaces sloping obliquely toward said open trough, a base member in sealing relation with said ash receiving member, a discharge conduit adapted and arranged to be maintained at subatmospheric pressure carried by said base and aligned with the trough in said ash receiving member, a valve operatively arranged intermediate said discharge conduit and said trough, said valve being movable selectively to one of two positions, one of said positions intercepting and sealing the discharge conduit and the other affording a trough passageway from said trough to said conduit, :1 yieldable bias member for urging said valve to the first mentioned position, a manipulatable pivoted lever lying within said base member and having one portion extending exteriorly thereof, said lever operatively engaging said valve to move it to the second mentioned position in opposition to said yieldable bias member, and an electric light mounted in said base, said ash receiving memher having a slotted aperture formed in one of the obliquely sloping surfaces adjacent said trough and proportioned and arranged to direct light into said trough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 818,822 Fernald Apr. 24, 1906 1,951,991 Patterson Mar. 20, 1934 1,992,450 Sporman Feb. 26, 1935 2,111,434 Morrison Mar. 15, 1938 2,308,704 MacNeil Jan. 19, 1943 2,461,815 Gill Feb. 15, 1949 2,494,979 Worthing Jan. 17, 1950 2,532,818 Langel Dec. 5, 1950 2,616,557 Gill et al Nov. 4, 1952 2,656,039 Leland Oct. 20, 1953 

